How to Keep Track of Your Driving Habits

The Illusion of Being Superior

Do you think you drive better than the average driver?

Most likely you’ll answer yes.

When it comes to driving, we all like to think that our skills and driving habits are better than average. We tend to be over-confident with our own skills, overestimate our positive qualities and underestimate the negative ones.

We also tend to have our own definition of “good” driving habits.

This is especially true when we are teenagers and just got our first driver’s license or when we get old.

Crash Statistics and the Person Behind the Wheel

Crash statistics speak a clear language. Drivers 16 and 17 years old have the highest rate of crash involvement, as well as injuries to themselves and others in car accidents. In 2015, 2,333 teens ages 16-19 were killed in motor vehicle crashes. This means that six teenagers ages 16-19 died every day from motor vehicle injuries.

Main reasons are inexperience, immaturity, night driving, and passenger distractions.

But teenagers aren’t the only age group singled out in accident statistics. After a driver turns 75, the frequency of fatal accidents increases dramatically. A driver over 74 years is involved in accidents twice as often as a 65- to 74-year old. At age 85, a driver is four times more likely to die in traffic accidents than a teenage driver.

How to Address the Problem

Graduated driver licensing programs are put in place to limit risks for new drivers. Parents to teens are encouraged to help their young drivers develop safe driving habits through supervised driving and talking about risky driving situations.

With elderly drivers, however, very little is done by the DMV. In some states, drivers at a certain age must renew their license more often than younger drivers. They must also apply in person instead of online and pass a vision test. But states rarely require any other tests.

In 2011, New Hampshire stopped requiring drivers 75 and older to take a road test. The law was prompted by an 86-year-old lawmaker who argued the road-test requirement was discriminatory and based on the false premise that elderly drivers are dangerous.

It is, in other words, up to families to know when and how to talk with an aging family member about his or her driving abilities and maybe ask the family member to stop driving.

Get the Input to Start Talking

Since most people, including teenagers, think their driving skills are better than average it can be though for anyone to realize that they also make simple mistakes. It can also be tough to start conversations about the bad driving habits of others.

But the more you know about your own habits and the driving habits of your teen or elderly family member, the easier it is.

What is Bouncie?

Bouncie is a connected car device that collects driving habits, trips taken and vehicle location while monitoring vehicle maintenance and diagnostics.

Parents who wants to keep track of their teenager can monitor a vehicle on multiple phones or web enabled device. Bouncie lets users set top speed, hard braking, curfew and hard acceleration alerts. You can also set geo-circles around important locations like school or home and get alerts when vehicles enter or leave those areas.

The information can be very useful as a conversation starter about responsible driving habits and safety.

Unlike similar devices offered by insurance companies, like Progressive’s Snapshot Program, data is kept private and sent through an encrypted SSL connection.

How does Bouncie Work?

Bouncie analyzes the data from your cars computer with a built in GPS locator and accelerometer then sends it to our app using a secure SSL connection

How Can You Check-in on a Vehicle?

You can get up to the minute vehicle information 24/7 directly from your smartphone or desktop/tablet. Two people can monitor the same car on any device without any additional fees.

Does it Work on All Vehicles?

The Bouncie smart-device plugs into the On-Board Diagnostics port (OBD) of a vehicle.

It works on almost every vehicle made after 1996, however, it is not compatible with fully electric vehicles, semi-trucks or motorcycles/mopeds.

What Does it Cost?

Bouncie is just $8/month plus a one-time device charge.

You can cancel anytime. If you’re not sure about the device, there is a 45-day return policy, so you can try it risk free to see if it’s the right solution for you.

It Works for All Family Members

While the Bouncie smart-device and smartphone app can help families and caregivers collect useful information about driving habits of teens and elderly family members, they can also help families manage all the vehicles in their household and give them access to roadside assistance and maintenance reminders and more.

Vehicle Location – Drivers can view their vehicle’s location at any time. Plus, Bouncie can help parents create driving zones with Geo-Circles that alert them when family members enter or leave a designated area.

Vehicle Health and Diagnostics – Bouncie constantly keeps track of vehicle health. If anything mechanical ever needs attention, drivers will receive an alert on their smartphone, so they can manage the little things before they become big problems.